Grant aids construction of GCU wellness center

LAKEWOOD - Georgian Court University announced that the university has received a $350,000 challenge grant from the private nonprofit Kresge Foundation to support completion of the new university Wellness Center Complex. In accepting the $350,000 grant, Georgian Court agreed to raise the remaining $450,000 needed to complete the campaign.

"We are pleased that the Kresge Foundation has demonstrated its approval of this project in the awarding of this grant," said Rosemary E. Jeffries, president of Georgian CourtUniversity. "The new Georgian Court University Wellness Center Complex will be an environmentally friendly 'green' structure conforming to one of the basic values of the Sisters of Mercy - respect for all living things. The Kresge Foundation is in the forefront of support for green projects."

She explained that Georgian Court broke ground on the $26 million project in April 2007 and the Wellness Center Complex is already transforming the university's campus. State-of-the-art athletic fields for softball, soccer, and a lacrosse/hockey field, an eight-lane track, and tennis courts are all nearing completion.

On schedule to open for the Fall 2008 semester, the 66,000-square-foot building includes a 1,200-seat arena that will support the basketball, volleyball and physical education programs and an exercise science laboratory. The building will also house offices for the new exercise science, wellness and sports major; professional dance studios for Georgian Court's new dance major; a fitness center; athletic program offices; a small classroom; outdoor spaces for reflection and gathering; and the university bookstore.

"TheWellness Center is also adjacent to fields that surround it and will enable Georgian Court University to expand the number of NCAA Division II teams to 10 by 2010," Jeffries said.

The university currently has seven NCAADivision II teams.

"The Kresge Foundation is the 14th largest grant-making foundation in the country," saidMaggieHuber, vice president for advancement at Georgian Court. "This is a prestigious grant that lends Georgian Court credibility when applying to other national foundations. We are thrilled and grateful for their support."

"With the awarding of this grant, the Kresge Foundation salutes Georgian Court's efforts to improve its advancement capabilities and provide a model wellness project in the regional community," said Rip Rapson, president of the Kresge Foundation.

The Kresge Foundation is a private foundation that supports communities by building the capacity of nonprofit organizations in six fields: health, the environment, arts and culture, education, human services, and community development. Sebastian S. Kresge established the foundation; it is not associated with any corporation or organization.

In 2007, the foundation approved 442 grants throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and South Africa, totaling $178 million.